[vincesanity82]

NASCAR's most popular driver wears a new white racing suit these days, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. doesn't want anyone to view him as the sport's knight in shining armor, riding in to slay the dragon of declining attendance and TV ratings. Brian France cast him in that role in late November, when the NASCAR chairman and CEO said Earnhardt's failure to win a race or make the Chase in 2007 was "unhelpful if you're trying to build ratings." "I can't tell you whether that's why the television ratings are down," Earnhardt said Tuesday at Daytona International Speedway. "It would be nice to think you had that kind of influence, but at the same time, I don't want to be the downfall or the reason for it. . . . I don't feel comfortable really taking any credit one way or the other." In his first extensive interview of 2008, Earnhardt also told reporters he's hesitant to gush about his new team, Hendrick Motorsports, because he doesn't want to cast his old one, Dale Earnhardt Inc., in a bad light. "I really was proud of where I came from and proud of the team that I had last year," he said. -- Palm Beach Post



NASCAR's savior?

[Bob Tanner]

I refer to my reply to Bassdog in the "TV Ratings Lull" thread...

NA__AR has sailed into some dangerous waters here. They have put themselves in the position of having a single driver who is, or almost is, more popular than the Series itself.

If Junior wants to be NA__AR "Savior," he could fill that role. But what if he doesn't? What if he fell for some Australian sweet thang during his recent trip down under? What if Sweet Thang doesn't want to leave the land of kangaroos and koala bears? What if Junior decides to run Aussie Super Cars instead of NA__AR? What if Junior wakes up one morning and decides he just doesn't want to drive stock cars anymore and follows his life's desire to develop computer games, become a glass blower, or a rodeo clown?

If any of you never believe a single thing I say, this is one you can take to the bank: Losing Dale Junior is NA__AR's worst nightmare.

Where does THAT leave NA__AR? I will forever maintain that the TV rating slump are, in large part, a result of Junior lackluster results last season.

Don't say, "Oh bull. That'd NEVER happen!" We all thought his dad would be with us until he got too old to drive competitively, too, remember?

Yep. He could be NA__AR's Savior. Then again he could, by design or more probably bad luck, be NA__AR's assassin, too.

[vincesanity82]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

I refer to my reply to Bassdog in the "TV Ratings Lull" thread...

NA__AR has sailed into some dangerous waters here. They have put themselves in the position of having a single driver who is, or almost is, more popular than the Series itself.

If Junior wants to be NA__AR "Savior," he could fill that role. But what if he doesn't? What if he fell for some Australian sweet thang during his recent trip down under? What if Sweet Thang doesn't want to leave the land of kangaroos and koala bears? What if Junior decides to run Aussie Super Cars instead of NA__AR? What if Junior wakes up one morning and decides he just doesn't want to drive stock cars anymore and follows his life's desire to develop computer games, become a glass blower, or a rodeo clown?

If any of you never believe a single thing I say, this is one you can take to the bank: Losing Dale Junior is NA__AR's worst nightmare.

Where does THAT leave NA__AR? I will forever maintain that the TV rating slump are, in large part, a result of Junior lackluster results last season.

Don't say, "Oh bull. That'd NEVER happen!" We all thought his dad would be with us until he got too old to drive competitively, too, remember?

Yep. He could be NA__AR's Savior. Then again he could, by design or more probably bad luck, be NA__AR's assassin, too.

you know Bob, im not always the sharpest knife in the drawer but I figured out why you left out the s and c in nascar, cause they are devil horns, making Nascar the devil, this is off the main topic of the thread but I just always thought you had a s and c button missing from your keyboard..

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by vincesanity82

you know Bob, im not always the sharpest knife in the drawer but I figured out why you left out the s and c in nascar, cause they are devil horns, making Nascar the devil, this is off the main topic of the thread but I just always thought you had a s and c button missing from your keyboard..

Sorry to disillusion you, Vince. I have no idea how you get "devil's horns" out of an "s" and a "c". And to compare NA__AR with 'Ol Beelzebub is a little bit more theological than I wish to get. I think Brian France is just your plain, every day, run-of-the-mill jerk, but the CEO of the essence of evil...? Naw. I think I'll pass on that one.

No, I leave the "S" and the "C" out of NASCAR because NA__AR has seen fit to do completely away with any semblance of Stock Car in its competition. It's just as simple as that. If they can leave it out of its racing then who am I to presume to include it in their acronym?

[vincesanity82]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Sorry to disillusion you, Vince. I have no idea how you get "devil's horns" out of an "s" and a "c". And to compare NA__AR with 'Ol Beelzebub is a little bit more theological than I wish to get. I think Brian France is just your plain, every day, run-of-the-mill jerk, but the CEO of the essence of evil...? Naw. I think I'll pass on that one.

No, I leave the "S" and the "C" out of NASCAR because NA__AR has seen fit to do completely away with any semblance of Stock Car in its competition. It's just as simple as that. If they can leave it out of its racing then who am I to assume to include it in their acronym?

Oh ok then, that makes sense, If you look at it though the 2 A's look like horns, or maybe ive been hallucinating and shouldve asked you to begin with..

[Bassdogs]

Interesting antidote on the SC thing, but have never personally been hung up on the stock car thing. Guess this goes back to the very beginning when there was very little stock in the cars that the moonshiners drove. Like now they looked stock, but were everything but stock. As a college kid in the late 60's one of my frat bros had Boss mustang. The only reason a very limited number of these were sold to the public was to be able to run the motor in Na__ar. Guess its all in the eye of the beholder.

As for Jr going down under or becoming a monk, I think neither to be likely. At the same time losing Jr to a crash or a new dream would for sure hurt the series. Stewart going back to dirt or multi team dynasties could be just as damaging. When the NBA lost MJ the sport didn't fold and Jr is not MJ. Popular yes, but a legend, not yet at least.

Chew on this one. Now that Jr is in the HMS garage, his success will add to the dominance of this team. I don't see JJ or JG fading just because JR wins 3 or 4 races. I'm inclined to think that JR going to HMS was in fact the nightmare that Nascar hoped never to see. If he wins they lose, and if he fails, they lose.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Bassdogs

Interesting antidote on the SC thing, but have never personally been hung up on the stock car thing. Guess this goes back to the very beginning when there was very little stock in the cars that the moonshiners drove. Like now they looked stock, but were everything but stock. As a college kid in the late 60's one of my frat bros had Boss mustang. The only reason a very limited number of these were sold to the public was to be able to run the motor in Na__ar. Guess its all in the eye of the beholder..

Au contraire, mon ami The first cars that raced in NASCAR (which was called the "Strictly Stock Series," BTW) were stock and pretty much stayed that way through the 50's and early 60's. - The winner of NASCAR first sanctioned race, Glen Dunwiddie, as your probably know, was disqualified because he was running a "moonshiner" set of rear springs. They remained looking "stock until the aero engineers got involved with this twisted up piece of trash they just dumped in favor of the new COT (Can of Tuna?) With the new car they threw all pretense of "stock car" out the window and now it's merely just another race car, though this one has covered wheels. That's my ***** about the matter.

I never went Greek myself, I went to undergrad on the GI Bill and was a bit long in the tooth to play but I did drain a few mugs of adult beverage with some TKE's I knew. That shows how much class I lack, eh? <g>

Originally Posted by Bassdogs

As for Jr going down under or becoming a monk, I think neither to be likely. At the same time losing Jr to a crash or a new dream would for sure hurt the series. Stewart going back to dirt or multi team dynasties could be just as damaging. When the NBA lost MJ the sport didn't fold and Jr is not MJ. Popular yes, but a legend, not yet at least. .

This is a very personal view of basketball, (NTA and college) but in the past few decades it seems to be made up of freakish (read: unnaturally tall) dumb ass thugs who give the impression they couldn't spell CAT if you spotted them the "C" and the "T." Sorry but I just am unable to get my mind around equating anyone except maybe Shane Hmiel and/or Arron Fike with anyone in the NTA.

Originally Posted by Bassdogs

Chew on this one. Now that Jr is in the HMS garage, his success will add to the dominance of this team. I don't see JJ or JG fading just because JR wins 3 or 4 races. I'm inclined to think that JR going to HMS was in fact the nightmare that Nascar hoped never to see. If he wins they lose, and if he fails, they lose.

Interesting, very interesting... I agree. Johnson and Jeffy both have a solid enough base that whatever happens to Junior has little affect on their careers. The only affect it might have is if Junior and the Dynamic Duo are fighting for position. I see the thing as a pie having 36 pieces. Junior going to Hendrick just gives him a better chance at some slices. Now, whether those slices come from the ones the Dynamic Duo would get, for from the rest of the field has yet to be seen.

[Bassdogs]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Au contraire, mon ami The first cars that raced in NASCAR (which was called the "Strictly Stock Series," BTW) were stock and pretty much stayed that way through the 50's and early 60's. - The winner of NASCAR first sanctioned race, Glen Dunwiddie, as your probably know, was disqualified because he was running a "moonshiner" set of rear springs. They remained looking "stock until the aero engineers got involved with this twisted up piece of trash they just dumped in favor of the new COT (Can of Tuna?) With the new car they threw all pretense of "stock car" out the window and now it's merely just another race car, though this one has covered wheels. That's my ***** about the matter.

I never went Greek myself, I went to undergrad on the GI Bill and was a bit long in the tooth to play but I did drain a few mugs of adult beverage with some TKE's I knew. That shows how much class I lack, eh? <g>



This is a very personal view of basketball, (NTA and college) but in the past few decades it seems to be made up of freakish (read: unnaturally tall) dumb ass thugs who give the impression they couldn't spell CAT if you spotted them the "C" and the "T." Sorry but I just am unable to get my mind around equating anyone except maybe Shane Hmiel and/or Arron Fike with anyone in the NTA.



Interesting, very interesting... I agree. Johnson and Jeffy both have a solid enough base that whatever happens to Junior has little affect on their careers. The only affect it might have is if Junior and the Dynamic Duo are fighting for position. I see the thing as a pie having 36 pieces. Junior going to Hendrick just gives him a better chance at some slices. Now, whether those slices come from the ones the Dynamic Duo would get, for from the rest of the field has yet to be seen.

Whow! Hope your meds come in the mail today. Didn't mean to trigger the defib.

Guess my knowledge of the beginning is based on the generally accepted premise that Moonshine runners played a heavy part in the concept of early stock car racing, but maybe not __SC__ as you point out. Correct me if I'm wrong, and I'm sure u will, but the go fast boose runners transfered most of what they new to the stock car circuit. My point with the Boss mustang and the Hemi sold on the street were just tricks to make them "stock" so they could run __AS__ races with them.

Substitute Golf and Tiger W if BB throws you into a tssey. The point is the same. And the thing with Jr going to the "evil one" [threw that in for you so you wouldn't put me on your hit list], wasn't about who Jr's wins might come from, the field or the twins. If having access to the best equipment and engineers doesn't lead to wins, Jr's bubble is likely to burst. If it does, his legend grows but so does the hated HMS dominance.

[3fanforever]

Originally Posted by vincesanity82

NASCAR's most popular driver wears a new white racing suit these days, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. doesn't want anyone to view him as the sport's knight in shining armor, riding in to slay the dragon of declining attendance and TV ratings. Brian France cast him in that role in late November, when the NASCAR chairman and CEO said Earnhardt's failure to win a race or make the Chase in 2007 was "unhelpful if you're trying to build ratings."

To me, this was just another, in an ever increasing list of excuses Brian France has come up with for NASCAR's decline in attendance and ratings. While I do believe Junior's results have an effect, I don't think it's quite fair to lay it on him like he did. Brian France needs to look in the mirror. There's allot of lame brain things he's done over the last few years, that have effected attendance and ratings more than how Junior does on those Sunday drives around the track. Even if Junior is winning, the drivers are still castrated, and the rivalries are still missing.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Bassdogs

Whow! Hope your meds come in the mail today. Didn't mean to trigger the defib.

Guess my knowledge of the beginning is based on the generally accepted premise that Moonshine runners played a heavy part in the concept of early stock car racing, but maybe not __SC__ as you point out. Correct me if I'm wrong, and I'm sure u will, but the go fast boose runners transfered most of what they new to the stock car circuit. My point with the Boss mustang and the Hemi sold on the street were just tricks to make them "stock" so they could run __AS__ races with them.

Substitute Golf and Tiger W if BB throws you into a tssey. The point is the same. And the thing with Jr going to the "evil one" [threw that in for you so you wouldn't put me on your hit list], wasn't about who Jr's wins might come from, the field or the twins. If having access to the best equipment and engineers doesn't lead to wins, Jr's bubble is likely to burst. If it does, his legend grows but so does the hated HMS dominance.

IRT my meds and defib... Nope, just being my usual curmugeonly self.

IRT paragraph 2, The shine runners did, indeed bring a lot of their "engineering innovations" to NA__AR. Junior Johnson and the Brothers Flock immediately jump to mind but those are merely two names of many. They tried to get everything they threw at the car past the inspectors, and a number of the early inspectors had their price. It is just a part of NASCAR (using the acronym in its entirety on purpose because we're talking about a period when "stock" was relatively "stock") history.

Paragraph 3... Three points, if I may
(a) The people who participate in the NTA (Nat'l Thug Assoc, a.k.a.NBA) impress me not in the most minute least. Some are fine individuals, I'm sure, but they are overshadowed by the dope-using, wife-beating, illiterate-sounding, philandering excuses that past for humanity, who get all the media attention. (I am nothing if not opinionated)

(b) I never refer to Riddick Hendrick as "evil." He's just someone I have no respect for. There are many who think he's OK, and that's good by me. There's room on the planet for both sides. Intelligent people can always disagree.

(c) Like you, I don't think a Junior failure will end the Hendrick dominance. The team is too well funded, too deep, and too many high-rollers are invested in its success. HMS will be on top, or within whispering distance of it, until it decides it no longer wants to be.

"Hated dominance?" Naw, not from this camp. He has the best drivers, the best cars, the best mechanics and the best funds. I wish my investments were as sure a thing as HMS. I don't dislike the dominance, it's the man and Jeff Gordon I have no respect for.

Thanks for the conversation. Friends can always agree to disagree about unimportant matters.

[Bassdogs]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

IRT my meds and defib... Nope, just being my usual curmugeonly self.

IRT paragraph 2, The shine runners did, indeed bring a lot of their "engineering innovations" to NA__AR. Junior Johnson and the Brothers Flock immediately jump to mind but those are merely two names of many. They tried to get everything they threw at the car past the inspectors, and a number of the early inspectors had their price. It is just a part of NASCAR (using the acronym in its entirety on purpose because we're talking about a period when "stock" was relatively "stock") history.

Paragraph 3... Three points, if I may
(a) The people who participate in the NTA (Nat'l Thug Assoc, a.k.a.NBA) impress me not in the most minute least. Some are fine individuals, I'm sure, but they are overshadowed by the dope-using, wife-beating, illiterate-sounding, philandering excuses that past for humanity, who get all the media attention. (I am nothing if not opinionated)

(b) I never refer to Riddick Hendrick as "evil." He's just someone I have no respect for. There are many who think he's OK, and that's good by me. There's room on the planet for both sides. Intelligent people can always disagree.

(c) Like you, I don't think a Junior failure will end the Hendrick dominance. The team is too well funded, too deep, and too many high-rollers are invested in its success. HMS will be on top, or within whispering distance of it, until it decides it no longer wants to be.

"Hated dominance?" Naw, not from this camp. He has the best drivers, the best cars, the best mechanics and the best funds. I wish my investments were as sure a thing as HMS. I don't dislike the dominance, it's the man and Jeff Gordon I have no respect for.

Thanks for the conversation. Friends can always agree to disagree about unimportant matters.

Let's go racing!!

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Bassdogs

Let's go racing!!

<whew!> I totally concur.